Running

Head: SRV IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

SRV Implementation Plan
Rachel Campbell
University of Manitoba
Introduction to Inclusive Special Education
Zana Lutfiyya
December 7th, 2015

Running Head: SRV IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

SRV Implementation Plan

While contemplating the focus of my change project, I consulted my
professional growth plan for the current school year. One of my goals is to help
create a greater sense of community in my classroom and in the school by providing
cooperative learning structures in everyday activities. While this seems general, it
can be narrowed down when viewed through the lens of social role valorization
(SRV). According to Wolfensberger (2013), social role valorization is a systematic
effort to extract empirical knowledge that can be applied in service of the valuation
of peoples roles, so that they are more likely to have access to the good things of
life (p. 81). He goes on to say that, any action that accords with role-defense or
role-upgrading can be said to be role-valorizing (p. 81). I have noticed a separation
in my multi-age classroom, not between the grades, but between ability levels. I
have realized that I have unintentionally enabled this by grouping students by
reading levels, numeracy levels, etc. This is a problem especially for my students
with disabilities and my students with academic struggles, as they are essentially
being segregated during small group instruction time. While I believe that there is
merit to teaching students at their individual level, maybe this does not need to
done by grouping them in such a homogeneous way. My goal is to reassess how I set
up my differentiated ELA and math programs to improve the social roles of my
devalued students. Furthermore, while I teach in a multi-age setting, I have noticed
that there is a lack of collaboration outside of these grade groupings. I believe that
a whole school change project, which would be focused on cooperative teaching and
learning, could benefit not only those who are devalued, but everyone in the

Running Head: SRV IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

environment. In this plan, I will discuss how I may use SRV theory to help all of the
students in my classroom and school, specifically those who are devalued. The SRV
themes that I will focus on include imitation, social imagery and the developmental
model.
SRV Themes
The Pedagogic Power of Imitation

Wolfensberger (2013) states that, imitation is one of the most powerful

learning mechanisms known [and] the people available as models for devalued
people to imitate often have negatively valued identities (p. 149). Although I
frequently model during small group instruction, peer models are as, if not more,
powerful than a teacher model. This is not to say that group members have
negatively valued identities, but if students are grouped homogeneously, they do not
have positive models to look up to and work toward. According to Berk and Meyers
(2016), homogeneous grouping can be a potent source of self-fulfilling prophecies.
Gradually, [students] decline in self-esteem and motivation and fall further behind
in achievement (p. 463). In other words, these students internalize that they are
low achieving, leading them to hold lower social roles. I plan to regroup my
students for small group instruction, based not on ability levels, but rather on
shared learning goals. As stated by Berk and Meyers (2016), this cooperative
learning model is when, small groups of classmates work toward common goals
by considering one anothers ideas, appropriately challenging one another,
providing sufficient explanations to correct misunderstandings, and resolving
differences of opinion on the basis of reasons and evidence (p. 463). For example,

Running Head: SRV IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

rather than grouping students with others at similar reading levels, I would like to
try grouping students with a variety of reading levels who are all focusing on a
similar reading strategy. My hope is that these students will begin to see themselves
as more highly valued and that this will transfer into other areas of their lives. I
hope that they will internalize more valued social roles and concurrently become
more successful, socially and academically. Extending this plan to the greater school
community would give these devalued students an even bigger variety of models to
imitate. I would like to do this through frequent collaboration with other classes in
our Kindergarten to Grade 8 school. Methods of collaboration would include
assemblies, mentorship, reading buddies and various clubs.
The Dynamics and Relevance of Social Imagery

Wolfensberger (2013) states that, image associations are often made

unconsciously, but nevertheless strongly influence peoples role expectancies and

the social valuation of the persons so imaged (p. 133). Sometimes we connect
images to socially devalued classes in the midst of trying not to. I am always careful
about how I label groups of students. For example, I would never label groups with
numbers or letters, so as to avoid an image of hierarchy. In the past I have chosen to
give groups random labels, such as colours or animals. This year, Ive chosen not to
label groups at all. However, it was not until I started paying closer attention to
social imagery, that I noticed I was still indirectly imparting social images in other
ways. For example, the order and frequency that I meet with certain groups of
students presents a negative social image of some of these students. My hope is that

Running Head: SRV IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

taking away homogeneous groupings entirely or at least partially may help this
problem.
Personal Competency Enhancement, and the Developmental Model

Wolfensberger (2013) says that, even devalued people who are not

impaired may still be limited in competency because they have been subjected to
low (or outright negative) expectancies, been denied opportunities and experiences
which contribute to growth and development, been segregated with people who
constitute negative role models, etc. (p. 136). While this is similar to the above two
themes, I think it is important to understand the growth potential of students. It is
common of people, educators included, to focus on the negatives rather than the
competencies of a student. The developmental model does the opposite and focuses
on the positive assumptions about the abilities of every person to grow.
Wolfensberger (2013) says that, personal competency enhancement and the
adoption of the developmental model are particularly relevant to those groups
whose marginalization or devaluation is related to low competence (p. 139). I hope
that by building our school community and collaborating with other grades,
devalued students may show competencies that they may not otherwise have the
opportunity to. For example, a student who has difficulty socializing with his peers
has shown that he is highly compassionate and caring for younger students. If he
was not given the opportunity to work with these students, I may not have noticed
this strength of his. I hope that by seeing students competencies and giving them
more opportunities to express them, I can offer them a greater chance of success.
Personal Support and Sharing Plan

Running Head: SRV IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

I believe in including my students in the teaching and learning process. I see

our classroom as a group of learners, working together. For that reason, I feel that it
is important to share this plan with my students. They deserve to know and be
prepared for any changes happening in their environment. I am currently seeking
the support of my administrator, resource teacher and partner teacher as I start this
project. It is important to have them on board, especially for the whole-school
component. I will need the cooperation and support of all teachers on staff to
collaborate with their classrooms at different points throughout the year. I also find
it helpful to have a confidante that is removed from the situation and holds an
unbiased stance. I will elicit this outside support from my husband. The beginning of
my change project is already underway and I am excited to monitor the growth and
success that I hope will result.

Running Head: SRV IMPLEMENTATION PLAN

References
Berk, L. E. & Meyers, A. B. (2016). Infants and children: Prenatal through middle

childhood (8th ed.). Toronto, ON: Pearson Allyn and Bacon.

Wolfensberger, W. (2013). A Brief Introduction to Social Role Valorization: A high-

order concept for addressing the plight of societally devalued people, and for

structuring human services. (4th ed.) Plantagenet, ON: Valor Press.